Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2023 October 24
   [2]Three large galaxies are shown, the rightmost two in collision. The
   galaxy on the far right is a large spiral galaxy with one arm connected
    to an unusual polar galaxy on the left. The smaller galaxy on the far
   left is thought to be far in the background. Please see the explanation
                       for more detailed information.

                    Arp 87: Merging Galaxies from Hubble
    Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]Hubble; Processing: [6]Harshwardhan
                                   Pathak

   Explanation: This dance is to the death. As these two large galaxies
   duel, a [7]cosmic bridge of stars, gas, and dust currently stretches
   over 75,000 [8]light-years and joins them. The bridge itself is strong
   evidence that these two immense star systems have [9]passed close to
   each other and experienced [10]violent tides induced by mutual gravity.
   As further evidence, the face-on spiral galaxy on the right, also known
   as NGC 3808A, exhibits many young blue star clusters produced in a
   burst of star formation. The twisted edge-on spiral on the left (NGC
   3808B) seems to be wrapped in the material [11]bridging the galaxies
   and surrounded by a curious [12]polar ring. Together, the system is
   known as [13]Arp 87. While such interactions are drawn out over
   billions of years, repeated [14]close passages will ultimately create
   one merged galaxy. Although [15]this scenario does look unusual,
   galactic mergers are thought to be common, with Arp 87 representing a
   stage in [16]this inevitable process. The [17]Arp 87 dancing pair are
   about 300 million [18]light-years distant toward the constellation of
   the Lion ([19]Leo). The [20]prominent edge-on spiral galaxy at the far
   left appears to be a more distant background galaxy and not involved in
   the on-going merger.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [36]Specific rights apply.
              [37]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC,
                         [41]NASA Science Activation
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2310/Arp87_HubblePathak_2512.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://esa.int/
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/
   6. https://telescope.live/user/32735
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140715.html
   8. https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question19.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130514.html
  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcDtJ_-jdMw
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061111.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap141108.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arp_87
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120717.html
  15. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1972ApJ...178..623T/abstract
  16. http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~jhibbard/MergeSeq/mergeseq.html
  17. https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2007/news-2007-36.html
  18. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_(constellation)
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190329.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231023.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  27. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=231024
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231025.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  41. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/